I'll start with tooth paste and touch on the other two in future posts.
As many of you know I went through a couponing phase about 4 years ago and often found great deals and coupons on toothpaste like crest, Colgate other brand names which regularly put out coupons.
I came to realize that not only are the ingredients in our processed food bad for us but so are the ingredients in our makeup, shampoo, body creams, tooth paste and deoderant. Check them out!
I had a box of Colgate total left over from my couponing days or some sale and I checked out the list on the back:
Aqua, blue 1, cellulose gum, chondrus crispus (carrageenan), flavour/saveur, glycerine, hydrated silica, mica, propylene glycol, PMV/MA copolymer, sodium hydroxide, sodium laurel sulfate, sodium saccharin, sorbitol, titanium dioxide, yellow 10.
What on earth.... Why are there so many strange unknown substances in toothpaste? Aqua or water is about the only item on that list I would feel comfortable eating or drinking.
Here is the run down of what these ingredients actually are. One of them actually dulls the taste buds for sweet things.... No wonder people can't get enough sweets. We are addicted to sugar as it is, thanks to the food manufactures putting it into everything. But now the toothpaste makers are helping to dull the taste of sweetness!
Carrageenan
Food-grade carrageenan is an extract of red seaweed (Chondrus crispus). It is used to thicken and stabilize a large array of food products, including frozen yogurt and reduced-fat ice cream. It’s used as a thickening agent in toothpaste. Carrageenan is considered a carcinogen and has been shown to cause cancer.
Food-grade carrageenan is an extract of red seaweed (Chondrus crispus). It is used to thicken and stabilize a large array of food products, including frozen yogurt and reduced-fat ice cream. It’s used as a thickening agent in toothpaste. Carrageenan is considered a carcinogen and has been shown to cause cancer.
FD&C Blue #1
Synthetic dye produced from petroleum; this dye is FDA-approved for use in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a compound which can be used to balance and maintain moisture levels. In toothpaste, it prevents the product from drying out and helps to preserve the product — it also contributes to a good mouth-feel and improves flavor. It may be of animal origin, and is thus listed in the PETA's Caring Consumer guide as a byproduct of soap manufacture which typically uses animal fat.
Glycerin is a compound which can be used to balance and maintain moisture levels. In toothpaste, it prevents the product from drying out and helps to preserve the product — it also contributes to a good mouth-feel and improves flavor. It may be of animal origin, and is thus listed in the PETA's Caring Consumer guide as a byproduct of soap manufacture which typically uses animal fat.
Hydrated silica
Hydrated silica is a derivative of silicon dioxide (found in nature as sand or quartz). It is a clear gel that acts as an abrasive in gel toothpastes. In opaque toothpaste, hydrated silica acts as a secondary abrasive.
Hydrated silica is a derivative of silicon dioxide (found in nature as sand or quartz). It is a clear gel that acts as an abrasive in gel toothpastes. In opaque toothpaste, hydrated silica acts as a secondary abrasive.
Mica
Mica is from the phyllosilicate mineral family — powdered white mica is used in a number of cosmetics, including toothpaste, for its sparkle. It is also used as a mild abrasive to aid in polishing of the tooth surface.
Mica is from the phyllosilicate mineral family — powdered white mica is used in a number of cosmetics, including toothpaste, for its sparkle. It is also used as a mild abrasive to aid in polishing of the tooth surface.
Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol is a small organic alcohol commonly used as a skin conditioning agent and in toothpaste as a humectant. It has been associated with irritant and allergic contact dermatitis as well as contact urticaria (hives) in humans; these sensitization effects can be manifested at propylene glycol concentrations as low as 2 percent.
Propylene glycol is a small organic alcohol commonly used as a skin conditioning agent and in toothpaste as a humectant. It has been associated with irritant and allergic contact dermatitis as well as contact urticaria (hives) in humans; these sensitization effects can be manifested at propylene glycol concentrations as low as 2 percent.
PVM/MA copolymer
PVM/MA Copolymer is a copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride and is used as a binder.
PVM/MA Copolymer is a copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride and is used as a binder.
Sodium hydroxide
Otherwise known as lye or caustic soda. In toothpaste it works to neutralize the pH of other ingredients.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
Before the 1940s, toothpaste contained soap. Now SLS is used as the detergent part of the toothpaste, which makes the toothpaste lather in your mouth. (It’s commonly found in shampoos for the same purpose.) SLS has a reputation for being a skin irritant, and in a study located in theU.S. National Library of Medicine, it was found that a significantly higher frequency of aphthous ulcers (canker sores) was demonstrated when the patients brushed with an SLS-containing toothpaste.
SLS Bonus! The ingredient is also responsible for the unpleasant taste of orange juice after you brush your teeth. SLS desensitizes the taste buds that pick up sweetness, so your tongue is getting only the sour and bitter flavors.
Sodium saccharin
Since toothpaste manufacturers aren’t going to add sugar to mask the many bitter flavors listed here — they turn to artificial sweeteners, like saccharin.
Sorbitol
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used in food products and is used in toothpaste for sweetening, but it is also used as a humectant and texturizing agent.
Titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide is an inorganic compound used as a colorant in a range of body care products such as sunscreens and makeup. It gives non-gel toothpastes their bright whiteness.
Titanium dioxide has been described as a possible human carcinogen by the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety.
D&C Yellow #10 and D&C Red #30
Synthetic dyes produced from petroleum or coal tar sources; these dyes are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Synthetic dyes produced from petroleum or coal tar sources; these dyes are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Well I'm counting at least two known carcinogens just in our toothpaste! Which means our toothpaste coukd be causing cancer! I've see what cancer does and I personally want to avoid it if at all necessary!
So, Yesterday I visited the farm store in Duncan which has all kinds of natural and organic products. However you do still have to read labels even in a store that has generally more heathy food because there is still "healthy junk food"!
I decided to scope out the toothpaste section and with my sisters advice I chose one which the ingredients I was comfortable with.
Over about the last year I've been using toms tooth paste which I love but even the ingredients list on that product isn't completely natural or free of weird stuff!
So today after reading many ingredients lists, I chose Earth Paste! I selected the unsweetened one to avoid sweeteners.
I was curious about this tooth paste and thought if give it a try! Afterall it is made from Food Grade Redmond clay!!
It only has 6 ingredients in it! And you know how I like very few ingredients! So I'm giving it a try!
I got a new toothbrush and everything just for this occasion!
Check it out! Brown tooth paste! Can you handle it?
I was warned that it doesn't foam up like regular tooth paste because they dont use any foaming agents but I wasn't sure what to expect! I think I envisioned my mouth to be all muddy feeling, like a mouthful of muck!
But I was pleasantly surprised,the taste was minty and slightly salty but I didn't feel like I'd put a mouthful of mud in my mouth like I thought I would! It was almost like brushing with just water but there was more to it. I wondered if it would clean my teeth at all.
But I have to say my teeth feel really smooth, like the after the dentist smooth!
I think next time I'll try it with a bit more paste on my brush!
Pretty good for a product with only water, clay, real salt, spearmint essential oil, menthol, tea tree oil in it!
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